•
Unfortunately, none of our senior staff expect any of these items to reach the iPhone 3.1 update, rumored to be on schedule for a September release. Still - here’s what we’d like to see:
More Voice Commands
Specifically: Navigate Voicemail. Launch Apps. Open a Safari bookmark.
The Voice commands work better than expected. It would be nice to extend them to a few more functions. The Google Mobile app is a great example of voice working well.
Wifi OFF button on Available Networks List
It makes perfect sense. When the iPhone offers a list of wifi network to choose from there should be an OFF button. Otherwise a series of taps is required to turn it off.
Why it won’t happen? There has to be a nefarious reason it hasn’t been added since people realized how helpful it would be back in June 07. My guess: Apple is appeasing AT&T. Omit a super-convenient way to turn Wifi off and users are less likely to burden AT&T’s network.
Camera Shutter Release
Make the physical volume buttons a shutter release for the camera. Please.
Conventional Speed Dialing
Press and hold a digit on the numeric keypad. You could assign a speed-dial number to entries inside your Favorites. Single digits can be easier to spot and tap if you’re running or holding a puppy or something.
Non-destructive Video Editing.
Heard this is on the way. They should add non-destructive photo cropping while they’re at it.
Stacks
I don’t have tons of pages of apps, but some people do and this would be useful. A folder icon full of apps on the home screen that reveals its contents when held. Some users would find stacks a more convenient way to store Safari bookmarks. Like Murphy.
Overall, the iPhone 3GS exceeds my expectations. But we always want more. Right?
|
Permalink
•
Quick post to mention some useful stuff I’m using from Google Labs.
I use the Google calendar pretty extensively including shared calendars from another user’s account. One of the Gmail lab features (see Google Calendar Gadget) allows you to add a mini-calendar to the navigation bar down the left side of Gmail, where your Labels and Chat stuff are. Along with my shared calendars this tool includes a Quick Add field to pop appointments into my calendar without having to open the full calendar. Something I’ve wanted on the Gmail page for a l o n g time. But I can also see my upcoming events whenever I’m in Gmail, and past events are dimmed out. It’s quite useful.
From there I was about to use another Labs feature to move my Google chat stuff to the right side of the page. But further down the list I saw an option to reorder my Gmail widgets on the left side. My calendar is now just below the Gmail items so it’s above the fold on my laptop, right where I want it. (see Navbar Drag and Drop)
Lots of Google posts, I know. I’m also using Latitude on my iPhone and I’ve committed pretty much to using Google Voice for now. I might add a Google Voice number to Murphy Mac and experiment with a call-in show. What do you think?
No real issues with Voice yet, except that I can barely remember my number. Murphy is getting so old. On the other hand, Latitude is having some trouble loading at times, not sure what’s going on there.
Got some lab features you really like? Let me know below.
|
Permalink
•
Murphy’s been wondering how Google would implement Latitude on the iPhone - since we all know background apps aren’t allowed. I was sort of expecting Latitude to be part of the native Google Maps application that ships with iPhone and iPod touch. Apple allows certain apps to run in the background, like their own Mail app. Maybe a built-in app could get special treatment.
But that’s not what’s happening. The app is running in Safari. HTML 5 on iPhone 3.0 allows Safari to access location information and publish it via Latitude. The downside: You have to open the page in Safari to share your location. Switch to a different page, close Safari, let your phone lock - any of those result in Latitude not sharing location information anymore.
From Google:
“Because the iPhone and iPod touch don’t allow Safari windows or apps to run in the background or while your device is locked, your location will only be updated when Latitude is in the open, active Safari window.”
and
“Your location will continue to be detected and updated while Latitude is the open, active Safari window and will stop being updated if you switch browser windows, leave Safari, or allow your device screen to lock.”
Not the most useful implementation, not what I was hoping for. Sharing your location is a manual process.
The screenshot above is from this afternoon: Mrs. Murphy’s Blackberry reporting her location on a taxiway at Chicago O’Hare. I’m not a big fan of her particular Blackberry, but it does a decent job with Latitude.
Before this update to Latitude I could open iGoogle on the iPhone and see where Mrs. Murphy was. Roughly. The GPS on her Blackberry takes FOREVER to kick in. So here’s a plus: Now there’s a more convenient place to see Latitude on your iPhone. Without going into iGoogle. You can manage your privacy settings, add friends, etc. And there’s a nice overlay menu with other functions like traffic, directions, and search.
Still, it doesn’t make sense to Murphy as to why it wasn’t implemented as part of Maps. Maybe in a firmware update? iPhone 3.1 must be well underway at this point. TechCrunch reported that Apple leaned on Google and had them go the web app route. Maybe Apple was worried about battery usage for a native app. Maybe a constantly updating app using the GPS would be a much larger drain than something like Pandora. Who knows?
My solution: I pushed the Safari icon back to my last page of apps and added Latitude to my Dock. That will at least update my location now and then without me giving it much thought.
Not sure what all the fuss is about Latitude and privacy. Don’t like Latitude? Don’t use it.
|
Permalink
•
If you’re using Google Voice you may have realized getting people to use your new number could be tricky. Lifehacker has a post covering steps you can take to make your friends update their contacts. But the most important factor in getting people to use your new number could easily be CallerID.
If you call someone without going through Google Voice they’ll see the number of the phone you’re using: home landline, cell, or work. The extra steps to initiate the call through Google Voice might be a barrier for users otherwise interested in the service.
But there’s a way to direct dial your contacts and have them see your Google Voice number in the Caller ID. When one of your friends sends an SMS to your Google Voice number it needs to go through a legit mobile number as the intermediary. Google has taken control of a block of area code 406 numbers in Montana for this purpose. The 406 number you (GV user) see when Wendy sends you a text is a permanent mapping between you and Wendy. In other words, Your Google Voice Account + 406 123 4567 = Wendy’s Mobile Phone. But you can’t tell your sister who uses Google Voice to use that same 406 number to call Wendy. For your sister’s Google Voice account there will be a different 406 number assigned to Wendy. The mapping allows one 406 number to be used by many Google Voice customers.
Here’s what happens when you dial the 406 number from one of your Google Voice associated phones: By dialing the 406 number in the first place you’re calling straight into Google Voice. Google sees it’s your home landline from the CallerID and knows you are a Google Voice user. Then Google joins your Google Voice account with the 406 number you’ve dialed which maps to Wendy’s mobile. Your call is completed to Wendy with your Google Voice number inserted into the CallerID instead of the number of the phone you’re calling from.
Downside? From a home landline it would be a long distance call for those of us outside 406. But from many mobile phones long distance is included, so there’s no extra charge.
Keep in mind that another Google Voice user will have a different 406 number for Wendy. Another catch: You can’t use the 406 number from a phone you haven’t tied into your Google Voice account. That would result in Google only having half the equation - they wouldn’t know what Google Voice account to pair with the 406 number to see who should be called. A call to the 406 number from a non-Google Voice phone won’t be completed.
Google hasn’t provided tons of information on the 406 numbers but it’s been reported that the mappings are permanent. For many people, using the 406 numbers to call your contacts will be the most direct way to dial through Google Voice. And it’ll help get people switched over to your new Google Voice number.
|
Permalink
•
Motion-X GPS reminds me of a simple map-less handheld Garmin eTrex I once used for running and hiking. The eTrex kept track of my distance and average speed, functioned as a compass when I was moving, and could store waypoints and tracks. Handy, but an extra thing to carry and a little awkward to use.
Motion-X GPS is designed to fill a similar role, but it does so much more. Like the eTrex, the compass lets me navigate to a known waypoint. The eTrex essentially needed a computer to add waypoints, unless you were standing on the spot you wanted to mark. Motion-X has Google Maps built in and you can double-tap a spot to drop a waypoint in. Views include road, satellite and contour maps.
The user interface is one of Motion-X’s main strengths. Functions are laid out in pages, with arrow buttons to slide through the rotation. A very Apple-like function: Hold down an arrow button and a list appears allowing you to jump directly to a page. There are separate pages for maps, compass view, waypoint and track lists, a stopwatch, and GPS status.
There’s a well-designed interface for sharing waypoints, tracks, and photos via Twitter, Email, or Facebook. The application can access your iPhone contacts too.
Motion-X takes advantage of a new iPhone API - adding iTunes controls right inside the application. No need to stop the app (and tracking) to change your playlist. A recent update taps into the iPhone 3GS magnetometer for the compass. There’s still an option to use a GPS-based compass while in motion.
Looking for a GPS application for your car? While Motion-X isn’t intended to provide directions it can still function as a trip computer, providing information like an ETA, average speed, and distance-to-destination.
Like my old eTrex, this application is better applied to outdoor use: biking, hiking, running. You could mark your starting point in a strange city, then wander around adding waypoints for places you’d like to revisit. You can even take photos within the app and store them with waypoints or a track.
Others have already given Motion-X a full review, I’ll leave the details to them. But here are some of my favorite features:
- Great interface including customization options
- Built-in access to iTunes
- Ability to add a waypoint on a map
- Magnetic compass support on iPhone 3GS
- Smart interface for sharing via Twitter, Email or Facebook
- Can store 101 tracks and 303 waypoints
- Comprehensive Google Map integration
There’s a free lite version of Motion-X (iTunes link) that lets you see the features but restricts waypoint storage. It’s well worth a look. The full version (iTunes link) is currently available in the app store for $2.99.
|
Permalink
